Travel

From New York to Geneva to Budapest to Gortin (Omagh!) youth@clc travelled far and wide campaigning for issues concerning children’s rights. Members attended the UN as delegates spoke at conferences and visited other youth groups to discuss children’s rights.

Budapest

April 2001
Young Persons conference for Europe and Central Asia.
A representative of youth@clc attended a preparatory meeting for young people to discuss issues affecting their lives which would be fed into UNICEF report for the United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on Children. The purpose if which was to strengthen and reaffirm commitments made by world leaders upon the signing of the United Nations Convention of the Rights the Child (UNCRC). This experience was extremely valuable as it enabled participants to learn about different countries’ attitudes to children’s rights.

Berlin
May 2001
A representative of youth@clc also attended an inter-governmental conference which allowed some delegates to feedback the outcome of the Budapest conference to the European heads of state, enabling young peoples’ voices to be heard at an international level.

Ghent
November 2001
A representative of youth@clc attended the launch of a draft paper by the EU outlining what provisions should be made for young people in Europe, regarding youth services and resources. Young people who attended this launch were offered an opportunity to have their voices heard in relation to the final legislation in this area.

New York
May 2002
The Children’s Forum ran three days prior to a worldwide summit on children (UNGASS.) This allowed youth delegates from all over the world to explore the issues discussed at the summit. Issues included child poverty and children in conflict.
The UNGASS summit, a major conference marking the 10th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, was an extremely important historical event. Ten years previously, child participation amounted to a child in national costume handing world leaders a pen to sign a document promising rights for young people. This world summit on children actually included young people on the government delegation. One member of Youth@CLC was on the UK government delegation and was able to sit in on hearings, discussions and meetings whilst in the UN. This was an invaluable experience for the group member concerned and it proved to be a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Geneva

September 2002
The examination of the UK governments commitment to the UNCRC.
Representatives from the UK government were questioned over their commitment to the UNCRC by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. This opportunity gave member of youth@clc an insight into the workings of the United Nations and an opportunity to help the UK government.